The invention relates to a process of and device for casting components, with liquid metal being introduced into a cavity of a mould where it is consolidated. For forming components, starting from the liquid material condition, there is known a large number of different processes and devices which more or less meet the requirements to be complied with by high-quality workpiece in respect of shaping freedom, surface quality and especially optimum material properties. The main difficulties initially concern the operation of filling the mould wherein the initially compact melt volume is divided, with a large surface thereof being exposed to air atmosphere, which, due to certain reactions, leads to the material quality being adversely affected. Molten metal alloys whose alloying constituents react very strongly to oxygen, nitrogen and the water vapour of air are particularly affected. In consequence, the tilting casting method according to Durville for example was applied to sensitive alloys at an early stage.
DE-PS 377 683 proposes a process wherein numerous casings are produced one after the other from an oblong casting container. In the course of the casting operation, the melt container is erected, as a result of which a somewhat higher metallostatic pressure can be achieved. However, with this method, the atmosphere has free access to the melt, so that especially as the container empties, oxide can easily reach the mould cavity from the bath surface. During the solidification of the castings there remains a direct connection with the large melt volume in the casting container, so that the solidification process is slowed down.
DE-PS 505 224 describes a process wherein two moulds alternately filled with melt are mounted on a casting container arranged similarly to a swing. Again, the air has free access to the melt bath with its large surface, so that it is particularly easy for the existing impurities to enter the mould.
DE-PS 21 64 755 describes a high-performance casting process for large series wherein, admittedly, the disadvantages of the above proposals were largely eliminated, but it requires sophisticated, expensive equipment, and even if one single mould fails, the remaining parts are affected as well.
As a rule, during the solidification process, volume contractions and gas segregations cause the component structure to form shrinkholes and pores which have to be eliminated at great expense. The shrinking processes also, locally, lead to the formation of gaps between the surfaces of the casting wall and mould wall, which gaps greatly affect the heat transfer, which also has negative effects on the quality of the structure and leads to sink marks, thus rendering the component useless.